


Take me with you

by The_Azkaban_Dreamer



Series: Weasley Chronicles [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Broomsticks, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Burrow, Weasley Brother love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:01:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24388597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Azkaban_Dreamer/pseuds/The_Azkaban_Dreamer
Summary: Fresh out of his first year at Hogwarts, Bill Weasley arrives home at the Burrow to be welcomed home by his brothers. However, Charlie isn’t as enthusiastic as Bill had hoped. Following him to an apple tree in the orchard, Bill finds out why.
Relationships: Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley, Bill Weasley & Charlie Weasley
Series: Weasley Chronicles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729258
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Take me with you

It was the summer holidays and Bill Weasley had just come home from his first year at Hogwarts and his younger brothers wouldn't leave him alone.

Percy questioned him about everything, the twins climbed on him, Ron wanted Bill to play with him and Ginny had grown so much since Bill had last seen her.

It was strange to be back at the Burrow which was bursting with much chaos and spontaneity. It was different at Hogwarts which at least had some structure to it.

Bill had done well in his classes and his mum was so proud of him that she kept ruffling his hair and pinching his cheeks. It got a bit too much for Bill, but he took it on the chin as he knew that Mum was so proud of him.

There was one person in the Burrow who seemed to be avoiding him though- his younger brother Charlie.

Charlie had been quiet when Bill had got home. He spent his time in the garden flying on his broom and playing with the gnomes. At dinner, he didn't say a word as Bill told his family about the Hogwarts grounds which was unusual for him.

Bill had been expecting Charlie to bombard him with numerous questions about dragons.

"Charlie needs his space," Bill's dad said to him. "The younger boys have been wearing him out lately. I'm sure he'll come in when he's ready."

But nightfall had come and still, Charlie hadn't come in. His mum was having kittens worrying about him so Bill volunteered to look for Charlie.

So, Bill had the most unenviable task in the world: To get Charlie to come in for the night.

"Charlie?" He called as he searched the garden. "Charlie, where are you? Mum says it's time to come in now."

Something scuttled in the bushes making Bill jump. But it was just a Gnome. Bill hoped that his mum didn't see it- he didn't want to have to de-gnome the garden as well.

"Charlie?"

Bill heard movement by the orchard. He moved there quickly and saw a limb in one of the apple trees. It seemed that Charlie had flown his broom to the topmost branch and was perched on it.

"There you are!" Bill sighed with relief.

"Do you mind keeping it down?" Charlie asked irritably. "You're disturbing the Fairies."

Several Fairies were flying around Charlie's head and they were shaking their fists at Bill before flying away.

"Sorry, mate," Bill said patiently. "But mum says it's time to come in. You've got all day tomorrow to be up here."

"Finally noticed me, have you?" Charlie asked sullenly.

"Charlie, what's that supposed to mean?" Bill asked. What's gotten into Charlie? "The younger kids haven't left me alone since I've come home."

"Welcome to my life," Charlie said bitterly. "I have to put up with them every day. Percy moaning all the time, Fred and George running around out of control, Ron eating all the food and Ginny getting all the attention. I can't even go off on my own without one of them following me. They're driving me mad!"

"I know how you feel," Bill said. The journey home was exhausting enough. But having five young children climb all over him in excitement was a new definition of exhaustion.

"No, you don't," Charlie snapped. "You're at Hogwarts all year. You've only come home for the summer and when you came home, you completely ignored me!"

Bill climbed the apple tree and sat on the branch next to Charlie.

"I thought you were ignoring me," He said quietly, putting a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "The younger ones didn't give me a chance to talk to you. Mum said that they missed me."

"I missed you too," Charlie said. "But it seemed that you didn't miss me."

"What are you talking about?" Bill asked. "Of course, I missed you. I spent the entire train journey home thinking of the stuff that I was going to tell you."

Charlie looked slightly surprised at that and then bowed his head in shame.

"Sorry," Charlie muttered. "It's just. I want to go to Hogwarts with you in September, Bill," Charlie said. "This year hasn't been the same without you home with me. There's been fewer laughs without you and I've been fighting with Percy a lot. Please, take me with you."

Bill felt touched that Charlie wanted to go with him to Hogwarts but a little surprised at his desperation. But he couldn't just board the Hogwarts Express. Mum wouldn't allow it.

"Charlie," He said. "I can't just let you come with me to Hogwarts in September. Mum would go nuts and there's no way Professor Dumbledore will allow it."

"So, you're going to leave me all alone again?" Charlie asked and Bill sighed. It was time to put his foot down and snap Charlie out of it.

"You'll be going to Hogwarts next September," Bill said firmly.

"That's ages!" Charlie exclaimed, frowning.

"It's only a year away," Bill laughed. "You wait; before you know it, you'll soon be at Hogwarts and knowing you, you'll be out in the grounds talking to the Bowtruckles."

"I'll be exploring the Forbidden Forest," Charlie said with a grin. "Much more exciting!"

"That's how you'd get a detention," Bill said.

"Is it true that there are dragons in there?" Charlie asked, sounding a lot more like his old self.

"No idea," Bill said, shrugging. "Trust you to think about Dragons."

Charlie laughed and began asking Bill question after question about Hogwarts. They sat in the tree for about ten minutes until they heard Mum calling them frantically.

"Mum's mad," Charlie said with a grimace. "She's going to blow."

"I was the one that was supposed to get you," Bill muttered. "This is on me."

Bill shouted to Mum that all was fine and she and Dad came rushing to the orchard.

"Thank goodness you're alright, Charlie," Mum said. "I was getting quite worried."

"Race you down," Charlie said to Bill and before Bill had time to act, Charlie jumped on his broom and flew around the apple tree and landed next to Mum and Dad.

It took Bill a while to climb down and he could hear Charlie telling Mum and Dad how he was feeling. He heard Charlie complain as Mum gave him a bone-crushing hug.

"Mum, geroff me!" Charlie cried.

Mum was still hugging him as Bill got to the ground but she let go of Charlie as soon as Bill made his way over to them.

"I win," Charlie said to Bill with a smirk.

"That's cheating," Bill shot back.

"The state of your clothes," Mum said, eyeing Bill and Charlie up and down. "Put them in the laundry basket after you've changed into your pyjamas, please. Heavens knows what's lurking up those trees. Now, who wants some coca? By the way, Bill I've noticed a lot of gnomes running about the garden. If you have ten minutes tomorrow, could you de-gnome the garden for me?"

"There goes my lie-in," Bill muttered as Dad put Charlie's broom away in the shed leaving Bill and Charlie alone.

"Cheer up, I'll give you a hand," Charlie said happily. "I'm glad you're home, Bill. I've missed you."

To Bill's surprise, Charlie tackled him in a brief hug before pulling back and grinning at Bill.

"I've missed you too, Charlie," Bill said. "You want to play Quidditch with me tomorrow?"

"Yeah!" Charlie exclaimed. "Bill? could you write to me when you go back to Hogwarts in September? That way I won't miss you as much and it's not the same when you only write to Mum and Dad."

"Course, I'll write to you, Charlie," Bill said. "Every day if you want me to."

"Not every day," Charlie said frowning. "Once a week will be fine."

"Once a week it is, then," Bill said, laughing. "We better get inside before our coca gets cold. Race you in!"

With that, Bill sped towards the Burrow with Charlie on his tail.

"Bill, that's cheating!" Charlie shouted and Bill grinned.

Whilst he enjoyed going to Hogwarts, it wasn't the same without his family. He was looking forward to be spending time with his brothers and Ginny and telling them all about Hogwarts.

As Charlie was gaining on him, Bill let himself grin- He was glad to be home for the summer.


End file.
